How to choose a wedding celebrant in Ireland

Start with the ceremony you want

A religious celebrant conducts a ceremony that mentions God. A non-religious celebrant conducts one that does not. Both can conduct a legal marriage when they are authorised on the Register of Solemnisers.

Organised religion is a different route. If you want a Catholic priest or another church minister, you usually contact the parish or faith community rather than choosing someone from a directory.

Check the current register

Ask for the person's name as it appears on the register, then search it here. Check the refresh date and use the gov.ie source if the person joined very recently.

Registration is a legal requirement, not a recommendation or quality rating. This site does not vet or endorse anyone it lists.

Use location as a starting point

The county shown on a profile is the address in the public register, usually where the celebrant lives. It does not tell you how far they travel or what travel costs apply.

Search the same county and neighbouring counties, then ask about your venue. Bordering Northern Ireland counties can appear in a nearby search, but marriage law is different there.

Ask what the register cannot tell you

The public register contains contact and legal registration details. It does not contain availability, prices, ceremony style, travel area, accessibility information or cancellation terms.

• Are you available for our date, venue and ceremony time?
• Will the ceremony mention God or include other required wording?
• What preparation meetings and ceremony writing are included?
• What are the fee, travel costs, payment schedule and cancellation terms?
• What happens if you cannot conduct the ceremony?

Compare like with like

A nominating body is the organisation that put the person forward for registration. You do not have to join it. Use the body filter when you want to compare celebrants from the same organisation, but do not treat the organisation name as an endorsement.